It's been interesting to watch Bowers & Wilkins tweak its audio lineup in recent years. The company has gradually added Bluetooth versions of its wired headphones, and generally speaking, it has done a fantastic job. The new, over-ear P7 Wireless is a $399.99 alternative to the wired P7, and its high price will be a deal breaker for some. If the handsome pair is in your budget, however, rest assured that its audio performance is top-notch, with superb bass response and clear definition in the high-mids and highs. There's almost nothing to complain about aside from price, so the P7 Wireless earns our Editors' Choice award.

DesignThis circumaural (over-the-ear) P7 Wireless looks quite similar to its wired predecessor, which is to say, it looks stunning. Available in black, the pair features a soft leather-lined headband, as well as leather-lined earcups and earpads. Where there isn't leather, there's aluminum; the P7 Wireless looks a little like the interior of a high-end sports car.

The rectangular earpads are exceptionally plush and exceedingly comfortable. The headband, however, can feel like it is exerting a little too much pressure on the scalp during long listening periods, despite its generous padding. Behind the cloth grilles inside the earcups, dual 1.6-inch full-range drivers deliver the audio. Like other Bowers & Wilkins headphones, the P7's pads seamlessly pop off and re-attach magnetically. Beneath the left ear's pad, there's a jack to attach the included cable for wired listening.

Most everything else of use is located on the right earcup—this is where you'll find the power/Bluetooth pairing switch, status LED, and micro USB port for charging, along the bottom outer edge. A three-button control panel is located along the right ear's side panel—two dedicated buttons control volume (these controls work in conjunction with your mobile device's master volume levels), while a central multifunction button handles playback, track navigation, and call management. Dual voice mics are located along the perimeter of the right earcup, as well.

The P7 Wireless ships with a cable for wired listening, though unfortunately, the cable lacks an inline mic and remote. At this price, that seems like a strange omission. It also ships with a micro USB charging cable that is a useful length, at 48 inches (most bundled charging cables are far too short for our liking).

You also get a handsome black leather carrying case with a quilted exterior and a magnetic flap. The headphones collapse down to fit inside, though some might wish that this was a hard shell case.

Bowers & Wilkins estimates the P7 Wireless to have 17 hours battery life, but your results will vary in relation to your volume levels. Plugging the audio cable in automatically powers down the headphones. Listening passively like this has little impact on the sound signature—the balance, hefty lows, and clear highs are all preserved.

PerformanceOn tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the P7 Wireless delivers some serious thunder. At top, unwise listening levels, the drivers don't distort, and at more reasonable volume levels, the bass response is still deep and generous. There's definitely some boosting of the deep lows here, but it's not to an insane degree. The high frequencies are also somewhat sculpted, but again in a pleasant way that adds clarity.

Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with less deep bass in the mix, gives us a sense of just how much boosting is going on. The drums on this track can sometimes sound unnaturally heavy on bass-boosted headphones that go too far, but here, they sound full and powerful. Partially, it's because the deep low frequency response is more subtle than intense here—you get an excellent sense of space, and the drums get some added body, bringing out the vibrance of the mix. The high-mids and highs are also prominent, so Callahan's rich baritone vocals get plenty of treble edge and definition.

On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop's attack gets plenty of high-mid and high frequency presence, highlighting its sharp edge and allowing it to slice through the layers of the mix. You also get plenty of of low and low-mid sustain, giving the drum hits more body and power. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with gusto, but again, the P7 Wireless avoids overdoing it—we've heard plenty of headphones boost these sub-bass synth hits to levels that are almost comical. Here, they sound powerful, but they don't do battle with the vocals for your attention—all three vocalists receive plenty of high-mid and high frequency presence. Occasionally things can sound slightly sibilant, but it's never egregious, and it's in the name of providing clarity.

Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene in John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, sound fantastic through the P7 Wireless. The lower register instrumentation is boosted, for certain, but the added low frequency presence only add to the sense of space. You get a sense of the size of the room the recording was made in. You also hear the reverb a little more clearly, whether it's lower frequency reflections or those of the higher register strings, brass, and vocals—all of which retain a crisp, exceptionally clear, dominant role in the mix. So the added bass response doesn't overpower the balance, it merely adds to the immersive experience.

ConclusionsFor $400, the Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless sounds, looks, and feels like a luxury product. If you're shopping in this higher price tier, there are plenty of compelling wireless options, so it's worth reading up on the JBL Everest Elite 700 and the Bose QuietComfort 35. Both of these pairs include noise cancellation circuitry, though neither delivers audio that sounds quite as good as the P7 Wireless. If you're looking to spend less, the Sony MDR-ZX770BT is a good option, as is B&W's P5 Wireless. But there's no question the P7 Wireless makes up for its price in performance, so it earns our Editors' Choice for high-end headphones.

Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless

Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless

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